In this post, we explore three practices that distinguish strong nonprofit and cross-sector partnerships. They’re common-sense tips, but you might be surprised at how difficult it can be to consistently live up to these principles — and how damaging it is to collaborative efforts when they are absent. Take a look and judge for yourself whether your collaboration incorporates these hallmarks of success.

Some time ago we posted a blog on how nonprofit CEOs and Board Chairs can partner more effectively, and learned that there’s a real appetite for resources on this topic. That’s why we’re looking forward to this weekend’s launch of John M. Fulwider’s new e-book Better Together: How Top Nonprofit CEOs and Board Chairs Get Happy, Fall in Love, and Change Their World. Read our mini-review here, and be sure to check it out for yourself.

When we recently sat down with David La Piana to interview him for a staff profile, we thought it a timely opportunity to ask him about his reflections on the past year and what he anticipates in the year ahead for the nonprofit sector. Here are some highlights.

This blog post is part of our series introducing the La Piana team. This week we spoke with firm founder and Managing Partner, David La Piana, about changes in the social sector, his advice to new leaders, and (wait for it...) his secret life as an introvert.

This blog post is part of our series introducing the La Piana team. This week we spoke with Kristen Godard, Partner and Director of Finance and Operations, about her dedication to nonprofits, the arts, and family.

Nonprofits face many pressures and opportunities that may lead them to seek a partnership in some haste, without fully considering how it may advance or derail their organizational strategy. Making Real-Time Strategic Planning (RTSP) part of the partnership development process gives organizations a practical way of ensuring that their strategic restructuring is, in fact, strategic.

Very strategic organizations are smart about scanning for and responding to opportunities — that’s part of being strategic! But mastering the balance strategy and opportunity demands that organizations be intentional about building their intended future. So…for every opportunity, how do you respond strategically?

Figuring out where you want to go and determining all of the things you’ll need to get there is the smart beginning point in forming strategic partnerships. Rushing to the decision on structure may leave you with your bags packed only to discover you can’t get where you want to go on the vehicle you chose.

Identifying your Big Question is one of the five key principles in La Piana Consulting’s Real-Time Strategic Planning approach to strategy development. But what do we mean by that, and how can it help your organization define a solid strategy?

This blog post is part of our series introducing the La Piana team. This week we spoke with Jo DeBolt, Partner, about her cross-sector background, the profound changes affecting health and human services nonprofits today, and what she enjoys doing in her (albeit rare!) downtime.